Boiler-furnace



5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. A. GREENE.

BOILER FURNACE. 7 No. 271,627. Patented Feb. 6,1883.

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WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

By his Attorneys, 6% F 1 Lnhogmphor. Washinglon. n, c.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. A.'GREENE.

- BOILER FURNACE. No. 271,627. Patented Feb. 6,1883.

WITNESS ES: INVENTOR:

' By his Attorneys,

MQDMAXDVS @MQ GA N. PETERS. Phummho n hu. Washinglon. I16.

(No Model.) L 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

1 W. A. GREENE.

BOILER FURNACE.

No. 271,627. Patented Feb. 6, 1883.

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99mm 6am (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

W. A. GREENE.

BOILER FURNACE. I No. 271,627. Patented Feb. 6,1883.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

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BOILER-FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 271,627, dated February 6, 1883.

Application filed April 13, 1882.

To alt whom it may concern Be it'known that I, WILLIAM A. GREENE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Boiler-Furnaces and in other Furnaces for Burning Bituminous Fuel, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is designed to facilitate the burning of bituminous coal and of other fuels rich in hydrocarbon, and involves a number of improvements, applicable chiefly to boilerfurnaces, but some of which are also applicable to other furnaces and to stoves.

My furnace is of the character of what are known as double furnaces, or those which have two distinct fucl-chamlrers,and I employ a return-flue boiler having, by preference, two

The accompanying drawings illustrate a boilerfurnace constructed according to my invention.

Figure 1 is a front elevation,'partly in vertical section, cut in the plane of the lines'l 1 in Figs. 2, 25, and at. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section cut in the plane of the lines 2 2 in Figs. 1, at, and 5. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section cut in the plane of the lines 3 3 in said figures. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section cut in the plane of the lines 4 4 in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5, and looking in the direction of the arrows 4; and Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section cut in the plane of the lines 5 5 in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, and looking from the front.

In all the figures the light open-section shading designates masonry and the heavy close shading designates iron. The feathered arrows denote the course of the draft and the short darts indicate air-currents.

Let A designate the boiler, and B B two fuelchambers built beneath the same and separated by a longitudinal wall or partition, O. In each chamber B is-a grate or fire-bed, a, and a bridge-wall or deflector, b, and under each is an ash-pit, c. The bridge-wall I) is preferably arranged about midway of the length of the chamber, the bottom of the chamber behind it being an imperforate hearth, b, as shown. Each chamber B has a feeding-door, (1, provided with a peep-hole closed by a register. Beneath the door, and on a plane with the gratesurface, is a poke-hole, c, Fig. 1, and beneath,

(No model.)

the grate is a dampered ash-door,f. These parts are or may be all of the usual construction.

At the rear end of the fuel-chambers B B a com-municating-aperture, D, is formed through the dividing-wall O, as shown in Fig. 4.

The boilerAhas two flues, EE, arranged side by side, as usual, and at each end is a breeching or trunkthat at the front, which I shall refer to as the "breaching-F being lettered F, and that at the back, which I shall refer to as the trunk, being lettered G. The breeching F is divided into three compartments, from the center of which the uptake-flue H springs, and leads to the draft-chimney, and the two sidecompartments communicate each with one of the flues E. From each side compartment an opening, g, communicates with the central compartmenu'and another opening, h, communicates with the fuel'chamber B below. In the angle between the twopartitionsin which these openings, Ir is, communicating with the fuelchambers B B beneath, and two valves, 1 Z, are pivoted out-side of (instead of between) these openings,so that when down, as in Fig. 2, they close them, and when turned up they rest against the wall of the trunk. The stems m m of these valves extend through to the rear of the masonry and terminatein handles; or they may be connected with any mechanism by which they may be operated from the front.

I will now describe the means provided for securing a second supply of air to perfect the combustion of the smoke and gases.

in each side wall of the furnace'is formed an air-flue, I, which opens at the front, Figs. 1 and 2, where it may be provided with a door, extends thence back to the rear of the furnace, thence downward, and thence forward to the front of the fire-chamber B,into which it opens through numerous perforations in a plate or tile, n.

An air-flue, J, leads from the outside of the furnaccatanyconvenientpoint,extends thence under the fire-bed, preferably through or under the bridge-wall b, to the center of the furnace, Fig. 5, under the dividing-wall (J, thence upward into this wall, thence forward through or in this wall to the front thereof, where it is divided by a plate or partition, 0, and it finally communicates with the two fuel-chambers B B by two perforated plates or tiles,p 1), as best shown in Fig. 3. The tiles 1) and n are set opposite each other in the sides of each chamber 13. Another air-flue, K, extends from outside the furnace at any convenient point, passes thence under the firebed, preferably alongside the flue J, Fig. 3, extends up into the wall U, and passes back through that wall into the portion thereof under the trunk C and over the opening D. This portion of the wall is made hollow, forming an air-chamber, M, its sides being formed of perforated tiles q q, and its bottom (directly over the opening 1)) of another perforated tile, q. A door, L, preferably lined with tire-brick, opens into this chamber M for the purpose of getting access to it to remove any accumulation of ashes or dust. Another door, N, opens into the space below this chamber, in order that. accumulations of ashes on the fire-bed may be removed. The tiles 11,2), q, and q are or should he removable, that they may be replaced in case of breakage or deterioration from the heat.

I will now describe the operation of my furnace.

Before kindling the'fire the valves H are turned up and both the valves & i are turned down, thereby closing the openings h h. The doors (I (l are opened, the kindlings and coal placed upon the grates in bothchambers, the

tires lighted, the doors (I d closed, and the doorsffleft open. The action in both chambers is then the same. The products of combustion pass from the grates backward through the chambers B B, up through the openings k k into the trunk G, forward through the tiues E E into the breeching F, through the openings g g, and up the flue H, where the two streams unite. \Vhen one or both of the tires are fully kindled the engineerobserves through the peep-holes in the doors (1 (l which fire is the brightest-that is, in which chamber the fuel is most thoroughly coked and incandescent. He then turns up the valve 1' immediatelyover that chamber and turns down both the rear valves, l l. The drawings show the parts in these conditions, the fuel in the chamber B at the left hand in Fig. 1 being assumed to be burning the brightest. The products of combustion from the right-hand chamber B now pass back through that chamber, and, instead of passing up into the trunk as before, (the open ing It being now closed,) flow through the openingDin the dividing-wall and enter the back of the left-hand chamber B, flow forward through that chamber, mingle with the gases from the burning fuel on the grate, in the front thereof, and the combined gases ascend through the opening it into the breeching F, pass back through the left-hand flue E into the trunk,

thence forward through the right-hand flue E into the breeching, thence through the opening g therein, and up the flue H. The tire heats the walls of the furnace to a high degree, and as the draft causes air to flow in through the air-fines I I, J, and K, this air is highly heated by contact with the hot walls, and as it enters the fuel-chambers through the perforations in the tiles n a, p p, q q, and q it mingles in sufficient quantities with the burning and unconsumed gases without perceptibly cooling the fire or detracting from the steam-producing capacity of the furnace. The fresh or uncoked fuel in the righthand chamber B evolves first its more volatile constituents in the form of smoke. \Vith this is mingled a portion of heated air trom the tiles up in this chamber, and the mixture of burning gases and uncousumed particles of carbon flows back through this chamber over the hearth b, and in passing through the opening D receives a fresh accession of highly-heated air through the tiles q q q. This opening D is of contracted area, so thatthe air and gases are forced to commingle, and a further combustion ensues during their forward flow through the left-hand chamber B. By this time the more easily combustible constituents will have been consumed,the refractory particles ofcarbon alone remaining unconsumed, and these are caused to ignite by passing over the incandescent mass of coked and highly-heated fuel on the grate in the left-hand chamber. At this point afresh supply of air enters through the tiles n andp and niingles with the burning gases to complete their combustion. The heating of the refractory particles of carbon by the bed of incandescent fuel is necessary to secure their conversion into carbonicoxide, and the final supply ofpreheated air combines with this carbonic oxide and forms carbonic acid. This lastcombination is effected in great part in the boiler-fines. By my construction and arrangement of the parts of the furnace, the aperture D being placed at the end of the chambers 13 B remote from the grate surface, and the imperforate hearth b intervening, the gases from the fuel are given time in passing from the bed of coals on the grate back to the aperture D to combine with each other to nearly as great an extent as is possible without supplying more oxygen to them, and after passing the aperture D and receiving a further supply of air they are given time while passing forward in the second chamber, and before reaching the mass of incandescent fuel therein, to become intimately cotnmingled with that air, and consequently to be consumed to very nearly as greatan extentasispossiblewithout the additional heat to be derived from the incandescent fuel. Thus the several steps or operations incident to the proper and thorough combustion of the fuel are performed in their proper order and at such intervals of time as to attain the most economical results. After the fuel in the right-hand chamber B is fully coked and ceases to give off sooty matter, fresh Its fuel may then, or as soon as required, be supplied to the left-hand chamber, whereupon the attendant will reverse the valvesi'i, turningthe right-hand one up and the left-hand one down, which will cause the reversal of the current of gases through the fire chambers and lines.

Thus the operation proceeds, the two fires being fed alternately and the valves each time shilted, so that the smoke evolved from the fresh fuel will be drawn over the bed of incandescent coals.

The preheating of the second supply of air is a valuable and important feature in my furnace. Without it it would be impossible to effectually consume all the smoke'evolved from the bituminous coal, as the mingling of cold air with the hydrocarbon gases reduces their temperature to such an extent that a complete ignition of the carbon and the complete conversion of all the carbonic oxide are rendered impossible. This preheating I accomplish withont affecting the heat transmitted to the boiler by effecting it through the medium of the lining-walls of the fire-chambers through which the air-tines are formed.

The boiler A may be a tubular one,o,r it may have but a single tlue, the passage of the gases through the bullet in one direction and then back in the other not being absolutely essential to my invention, although I consider it a very desirable feature, as it enables me to use a boiler of but about one-halfthe usual length, while retaining the burning gases in contact with the boiler for the same length of time as, heretofore.

My invention may be applied in part to the construction of a stove for cooking purposes by substituting flnes extending down and around the oven for the boiler-fines shown. The operation will be very nearly the same as described, subject to such differences as are inherent in cooking-stoves as distinguished from furnaces.

The tlues J and K may be merged together until their entrance into the wall 0, or one flue may traverse nearly the entire length of the wall, the other being carried close beneath the tirebed. v

Opposite each end of each flue E, I prefer to form a door, 1', through the mason-ary, opening into the breeching and trunk for use in cleaning out the tines. I also provide the boiler with a capped opening, 3, accessible from the air-chambei-M,so thatthe boiler may becleaned out through the door L.

Prior to my invention double furnaces have been made with an arched communicating-aperture in the dividii'ig-wall at the front of the chambers, between the grate-surfaces, and with a short air-fine leading through this wall and opening in the crown of the'arch. In a furnace so constructed the draft is laterally from the first chamber (containing the fresh fuel) into the second chamber, (containing the incandescent fuel,) and thence back through the secondchamber to the chimney, so that the smoke is passed over the bed of incandescent fuel immediately it is evolved, instead ot'first traveling some distance, then having heated air supplied to it, and then traveling a further distance before meeting the incandescent fuel, as in my furnace. Furthermore, there is direct communication between the two grate-surfaces, so that the fires in the two chambers cannot readily be kept distinct, whereas in my furnace there is no possibility of the two fuel-beds becoming'merged together. Another furnace constructed priorto my invention has two fuelchambers and two boiler-flues, the products of combustion from onet'ucl-chamber passing first through one boilerfiue, then through a system ofexternal tlues,then into the other fuel-chamher, through the other boiler-flue, and through other external flues to the chimney; but no heated air is supplied to the products of combustion, and there is no communicaiing-aper-- ture between the two combustion-chambers; nor is there any reversalofthe cnrrentof gases on shifting the dampers, as the gases in each -ohamber and line fiow always in the same direction.

I claim as my invention- 1. A furnace or stove consisting of the combination of two fuel-chambers separated by a dividing-wall, a draft-aperture through said wall affording communication between the two chambers at one end thereof, a grate or tire-bed in each chamber at the end thereof remote from said aperture, a hearth or tloorin each chamber extending from said grate to the end of the chamber contiguous to said aperture, asuitablefiue communicating with each chamber at the end thereof containing said grate, and suitable means for interrupting the communication of either chamber with the fine, while leaving the other chamber in communication therewith, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A furnace or stove consisting of the combination of two fuel-chambers separated by a dividing-wall, a draft-aperture through said wall affording communication between the two chambers at one end thereof, a grate in the opposite end of each chamber, an air-flue leading through the heated wall of the t'urnace to said aperture, and there terminating in air-inlet openings adjacent to said aperture, a suitable draft-fine in communication with each chamber at the end thereof containing the grate, and dampers for interrupting the communication of either chamber with the line, substantially as and for the purposes set lorth.

-3. A furnace or stove consisting of the combination of two fuel-chambers separated by a dividing-wall, a draft-aperture in said wall at one end thereof, air-inlet openings adjacent to' said aperture, a fire-bed or grate in each chamber in the portion thereof remote from said aperture, and a hearth or floorin the portion of each such chamber adjoining said aperture, substantially as set forth.

4. A furnace or stove consisting of the combination of two fuel-chambers separated by a dividing-wall, a draft-aperture through said wall affording communication between the two chambers at one end thereof, a grate or fire-bed in each chamber at the end thereof remote from said aperture, a number of airinlet openings in the opposite sides of each chamber above the grate,and air-heatingflues extending through the furnace-walls to said openings, substantially as set forth.

5. A furnace or stove consisting of the combination of two fuel-chambers separated by a dividing-wall, a draft-aperture through said wall afl'ording communication between the two chambers. an air-heating flue leading through said dividing-wall and terminating in air-inlet perforations into said chambers adjacent to said aperture, a. grate or fire-bed in each chamber at the end thereof remote from the said aperture, air-inlet perforations in the opposite sides of each chamber above the grate, and air-heating flues extending through the furnace-walls to and terminating in said perforations, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of two parallel fuelchambers separated by a dividing-wall, a draft-aperture through said wall at one end thereof, a boiler mounted over said wall, a breeching in communication with the draftflue, arranged above the end of the fuel-chambers remote from said aperture, an opening from each chamber into said breeching, and suitable valves adapted to close one or other of said openings, substantially as set forth.

7. A furnace consisting of the combination of two parallel fuel-chambers, an aperture through one end of their dividing-wall, a breeching over the opposite ends of the chambers, openings from said breeching into said chambers, a boiler and its two flue, the latter opening into said breeching and communicating with each other at the opposite end of the boiler, an uptake-flueleading from said breeching, and suitable valves in said breeching for controlling its communication with the fuelohambers and uptake, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of boiler A, its fines E E, breeching F, trunk G, uptake H, fuelchambcrs B B, openings g g and h h, and valves i, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of fuel-chambers B B, wall 0, aperture D, boiler A, fines E E, trunk Cr, openings k 7:, valvesl l, breechingFmpenings g g and h h, valves ii, and uptake H, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination of fuel-chambers B B, wall 0, aperture D, flue K, air-chamber M, and perforated plates or tiles q q q, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination of fuel-chambers B B,

wall O, aperture 1), flue K, air-chamber M,

WILLIAM A. GREENE.

\Vitnesses:

JAS. A. FISHER, PHILIP NATHAN. 

